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These easy Lemon Chicken Thighs are crispy, juicy, and so dang good. The bold spice mix and garlic lemon sauce come together to create a bright, savory dish that’s sure to become a weeknight favorite.
With minimal prep and maximum flavor, it’s proof that a simple ingredient list can pack a serious punch of flavor.
Pair it with a slice of Lemon Curd Cake, or a glass of homemade Pink Lemonade.
If there’s one dinner recipe that never fails me, it’s these Lemon Chicken Thighs. The combination of a bold spice rub and the bright garlic lemon sauce really work together to create layers of flavor in every bite. Plus there’s nothing better than chicken thighs, they’re just so tender and juicy.
This recipe is also incredibly simple to pull together which makes it perfect for busy weeknights. You just rub the chicken with oil and spices, plop them into a baking dish, pour over the garlic lemon sauce, and bake. It’s the kind of dinner that earns compliments every single time.
For more baked chicken thighs, I have this Cajun Chicken Thighs with cauliflower and Rosemary and Thyme Chicken Thighs with roasted potatoes.
Here’s A Quick Video Tutorial
Ingredients in Lemon Chicken Thighs
Here’s everything you will need to make this dinner recipe, plus a few important notes so keep reading.
- Chicken Thighs: In this recipe we use bone-in, skin on chicken thighs. I do recommend letting them warm up a bit before baking, to promote even baking. Also, they tend to have a lot of excess skin on the underside of the chicken that needs to be cut that off with scissors.
- Oil: Feel free to use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
- Spices: We will use salt, black pepper, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and cayenne pepper. I know it seems like a lot of spices, but it makes these chicken thighs taste so good!
- Fresh Lemons: Be sure to wash and lightly scrub them before using.
- Fresh Garlic Cloves: These will need to be grated with a zester grater or minced very fine.
- Mustard: I use stone ground mustard, but you can also use Dijon mustard.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Thighs
1. Season the chicken thighs. In a large bowl, rub the chicken thighs with olive oil and then the spice mixture. Place them in a baking dish and pour over the mixture of lemon juice, grated garlic, and mustard. Nestle lemon slices and fresh thyme around the chicken thighs.
2. Bake, rest, and serve. Bake until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. If you want crispy skin, turn the oven off and broiler on, and allow them to broil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow them to rest for 10 minutes before squeezing over the roasted lemon juice and serving.
Find the complete recipe instructions with measurements below.
What To Serve With Your Chicken Thighs
There are so many things these Lemon Chicken Thighs can be served with. As you can see I made steamed broccoli and baby potatoes, but you can serve it with other steamed vegetables or even oven roasted vegetables. I like these herb roasted mushrooms, balsamic honey brussels sprouts, smashed fingerling potatoes, honey brown sugar roasted carrots, or these lemon dill potatoes.
For something a little different, you can make my favorite warm quinoa salad, lemon orzo pasta salad with tons of herbs and veggies, or this roasted asparagus salad. These lighter options pair beautifully with the bright lemon flavor while making it a well-rounded and satisfying meal. You can also browse all of my side dishes for more inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
More Chicken Dinner Recipes You Might Enjoy
Lemon Chicken Thighs
EQUIPMENT
- 9×13 baking dish
INGREDIENTS
- 6 chicken thighs - bone-in, skin on*
- 2 tablespoons oil - extra virgin olive or avocado
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 2 garlic cloves - grated or very finely minced
- 1 teaspoon mustard - dijon or stone ground
- 1 lemon - cut in 3's
- sprigs fresh thyme
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 425 °F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, black pepper, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, rub the chicken thighs with oil and then the seasoning mix until well coated. Place them in a baking dish.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, grated garlic cloves, and mustard. Pour that over the seasoned chicken thighs and nestle in the cut lemon wedges and sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 °F. For crispy skin, turn off the oven and turn on the broiler. Allow them to broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until desired crispiness.
- Remove the Lemon Chicken Thighs from the oven and allow them to rest 10 minutes. Squeeze the roasted lemons over the chicken thighs and serve.
VIDEO
RECIPE NOTES
- For boneless chicken thighs, reduce baking time to 25 to 30 minutes.
- For 1 inch thick chicken breasts, reduce baking time to 30 to 35 minutes.
STORING INFORMATION
- Refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
- Frozen, in a freezer safe container or plastic bag, for up to 3 months.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
